Meissen Porcelain Factory (German, founded 1710). <em>Cup and Saucer (Part of Chocolate Service Set)</em>, ca.1750. Porcelain, cup: 2 5/8 x 2 13/16 in. (6.7 x 7.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. Ernest T. Weir, 67.227.8a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 67.227.6-.13_PS22.jpg)

Meissen Porcelain Factory (German, founded 1710). Cup and Saucer (Part of Chocolate Service Set), ca.1750. Porcelain, cup: 2 5/8 x 2 13/16 in. (6.7 x 7.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. Ernest T. Weir, 67.227.8a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 67.227.6-.13_PS22.jpg)

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Download our app and ask your own questions during your visit. Here are some that others have asked.

And what does the date "1710 - present" mean?

Those are the dates in which the Meissen porcelain manufactory has been in business. The “present” indicates that the factory that produced this Chocolate Pot and Cup and Saucer is still in operation today!

Is the chocolate pot and cup and saucer used for drinking hot chocolate?

Yes it is! Chocolate was once only known as a drink. It was popular throughout the Western world once the Spanish made contact with the Americas and started to import it into Europe.

Why is it called a chocolate pot?

That is actually the cup that one would drink the chocolate from! If you look at the top of the pot, you will see a little knob in the lid. This is attached to a stirring stick that would be used to froth up the mixture of chocolate, cream and sugar! Hot chocolate was a luxury product in the 18th century, as it was imported from Central America. It was typically drunk by women in the home, while they were getting ready for the day!

This chocolate pot and cup are beautiful. Beautiful! I want to drink from them.

Yes, that is a glorious chocolate pot! Notice how it is entirely covered in gilding? Not one bit of the white porcelain is visible!

When Meissen first discovered the recipe for pure white porcelain in 1709 they were very proud and would never have concealed the white clay in this way!

But a few decades later, other factories had learned the secret and they were fine with gilding the entire surface of vessels.

Interesting how what is considered to be important or worthy of bragging about changes over time.

Yes, it often comes down to what is the most expensive at any given moment!

We were wondering why this piece uses mostly gold and only a little blue

You'll notice that in most of the ceramic pieces in Infinite blue, the blue color is used to emphasize design elements while another color acts as the background, like the white in blue-and-white porcelain for example.

That seems to be the case here as well with blue being used to apply decorative motifs and bands to the otherwise gold colored vessel and cup.

These are so beautiful!

These gilded pieces were produced by the Meissen Porcelain Factory in Germany. Meissen was the first European factory to work with "hard-paste" porcelain, most similar to Asian porcelain.

The pitcher and cup are part of a set meant for chocolate drinking. Drinking chocolate exploded in popularity in Europe following the Spanish conquest in South and Central America. Chocolate had likely been consumed there since 1500 BCE.

Cup and Saucer (Part of Chocolate Service Set)

Decorative Arts and Design

MAKER Meissen Porcelain Factory, German, founded 1710

MEDIUM Porcelain

DATES ca.1750

DIMENSIONS cup: 2 5/8 x 2 13/16 in. (6.7 x 7.1 cm) saucer: 1 1/8 x 5 in. (2.9 x 12.7 cm) (show scale)

MARKINGS On under side of each piece, in under glaze blue: crossed swords.

SIGNATURE no signature

INSCRIPTIONS no inscriptions

COLLECTIONS Decorative Arts and Design

ACCESSION NUMBER 67.227.8a-b

CREDIT LINE Gift of Mrs. Ernest T. Weir

EXHIBITIONS

Solid Gold

MUSEUM LOCATION This item is not on view

CAPTION Meissen Porcelain Factory (German, founded 1710). Cup and Saucer (Part of Chocolate Service Set), ca.1750. Porcelain, cup: 2 5/8 x 2 13/16 in. (6.7 x 7.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mrs. Ernest T. Weir, 67.227.8a-b. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 67.227.6-.13_PS22.jpg)

IMAGE overall, 67.227.6-.13_PS22.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2024

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RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY

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